Cutter for sheep-shearing.



No. 889,017. PATENTED MAY 26, 1908;

' s. L. JOHNSON.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1n: NORRIS PETERS co; WASHINGTON, n c.

No. 889,017. PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

S. L. JOHNSON. I a

CUTTER FOR SHEEP SHEARING. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. 190

z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f MC 0 I v rmr 11-": NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, 137 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

SETH LOUIS JOHNSON, OF BRADFORD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE YORKSHIRE WOOL& LEATHER (10., LIMITED, OF BRADFORD, ENGLAND.

CUTTER FOR SHEEP-SHEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed July 3, 1907. Serial No. 382,057.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH LOUIS J OHNSON, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and residing at Holmbank Lodge, Tyersal, Bradford,in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Connection with Cutters for Sheep-Shearing, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with apparatus forcutting wool and the like, and has reference to the, manner in which Iarrange a rotary disk or serrated cutting member for removing wool fromthe skin of a sheep or other animal whether alive or dead the objectbeing to provide an apparatus that will effectually remove or cut offthe wool without injuring or cutting into the skin, and to enable suchapparatus to be actuated by hand, mechanical or electrical appliances,as may be desired for the particular positions in which such have towork, and also for obviating the necessity for using an underneath orlower cutting member in combination with the rotary cutter.

According to the present invention we employ a rotary cutting disk theperiphery of which is tapered to a sharp edge and such edge is slightlyroughened by forming thereon a number of very finely divided serrationsor minute teeth. Said roughening may be obtained in one convenientmanner by lightly rubbing over the smooth sharp edge with a fine file orlike tool. We also arrange in conjunction with the said cutting disk ashield or guard adapted to collect andcomb up the wool so that it may bedirected against the edge of the rotary disk and also to prevent thedisk from getting into direct contact with the skin of the animal beingoperated upon.

Referring: now to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate oneconvenient form of apparatus constructed according to the invention, andforming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a side sectional elevation, andFig. 3 a plan, Fig. 4 is a plan of the guard plate, Fig. 5 a reverseplan of the'main casing, other parts being omitted, Fig. 6 a plan of thebase plate for supporting the gearing, and Fig. 7 a detail enlargedsectional elevation and plan of a portion of the rotary cutting disk.

The rotary disk, at, which is tapered to a sharp edge and is formed witha numberof minute or finely divided serrations, b, is attached to asleeve, 0, and rotated by means of bevel wheels, (1 and e, the former ofwhich is integral with or fixed to the sleeve, 0, and the latter ofwhich is fixed to the inclined spindle, f. This spindle preferablypasses through a sleeve, 9, adapted to form a handle or holder, and tothe outer end of the spindle we connect a flexible shaft or otheruniversal coupling which is set in motion by an electric motor or-othermechanical power transmitting device.

The gearing is inclosed within a cap or casing, h, to the lower end ofwhich is attached a base plate, 71, and upon this base-plate is mounteda ring or annular member, m, forming a bearing surface for the flangedportion, a, of the sleeve, 0.

Beneath the rotary disk, a, we mount a shield or guard plate, 0, thefront portion of which is formed with fingers, p, projecting beyond theperiphery of the disk, a, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. These fingersserve to collect and comb up the wool in such a manner that it may bedirected on to the edge of the disk for removal.

Any desired form of attachment may be employed for the guard plate, 0,but preferably it is hinged at g, to the casing, h, and is held in itsoperative position, slightly spaced from the rotary disk, a, by means ofa rod, 1", passing through the sleeve, 0. This rod is provided with atightening nut, s, at its lower end and a head, 25, at its upper end, aspacing member, a, being employed for keeping the guard plate at anysuitable distance from the rotary disk. The under faces of theprojecting finger pieces, 11, on the guard plate are preferably curvedupwardly at their outer extremities in order to lift the wool from theskin of the animal being treated and such fingers effectively preventthe rotftry disk from getting into contact with the s (in.

A further feature of our improved apparatus, and which is illustratedpartly in section in Fig. 1, relates to means for preventing theflexible power shaft from being strained or broken in the event of anywool catching in and clogging, the cutter. The handle, 2, by which thecutter and its casing is manipulated, is provided at its outer end witha groove, 3, adapted to be engaged by the screws 4 on the cup, 5. Thiscup is arranged at the end of the non-rotatable flexible covering, 6, ofthe flexible shaft, 7, which passes through the handle, 2, and cover, 6,and is suitably connected at its ends to the power shaft and cutterdriving spindle respectively. Should any wool clog and prevent thecutter from rotating relatively to the casing, this arrangement willallow of the whole apparatus rotating relatively to the stationarycover, 6, until the motor or the like can be stopped, the wool thenbeing removed.

WVe preferably arrange ball or other antifriction bearings for the partsrotating within the cap or casing, it. Such a bearing is shown forexample in Fig. 2 between the bevel wheel, a, and its bearing ring, '1),and one is preferably also provided between the sleeve, 0, and itsbearing ring, m.

It will be seen from the construction'of the apparatus that the bevel orlike gearing is quite inclosed by the casing, h, and base plate, i, andmay therefore be filled to any desired extent with a suitable lubricant,a groove or grooves, in, being also provided for lubricating thespindle, f.

We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular meansfor trans mitting motion to our rotary cutting wheel.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: 1, In apparatus for removing wool, hair orth like from the skins of animals, the combination of a rotary cuttingdisk, having minute serrations upon its periphery, a casing arrangedabove said cutting disk, means mounted within said casing for rotatingsaid disk, a guard plate hinged to the casing, and means for securingsaid guard plate in operative position.

2. In apparatus for removing wool, hair or the like from the skins ofanimals, the combination of a rotary cutting disk having a number offinely divided serrations upon its periphery, a casing arranged abovesaid cutting disk, a rotatable sleeve mounted within said casing, meansfor securing the disk to said sleeve, a guard plate hinged to the casingand means, passing through said sleeve to the top of the casing, forsecuring said guard plate in operative position.

3. In apparatus for removing wool, hair or the like from the skins ofanimals, the combination of a rotary cutting disk having a number offinely divided serrations upon its periphery, a guard plate therefor, acasing arranged above said cutting disk, means in said casing, forrotating the disk, a flexible shaft connected to said rotating means, anon-rotatable covering for said flexible shaft, and means for allowingof the rotation of the easing with the flexible shaft independently ofthe non-rotatable covering.

4. In apparatus for removing wool, hair or the like from the skins ofanimals, the combination of a rotary cutting disk having a number offinely divided serrations upon its periphery, a guard plate therefor, acasing arranged above said cutting disk, means in said casing forrotating the disk, a flexible shaft connected to said rotating means, ahollow manipulating handle secured to the casing, a non-rotatablecovering for said flexible shaft extending from the handle to a powershaft, a groove on said handle, and projections on the non-rotatablecovering engaging said groove.

5. In apparatus for removing wool hair or the like from the skins ofanimals, the combination of a rotary cutting disk having a number offinely divided serrations upon its periphery, an inclosed casingarranged above said disk, a guard plate hinged to said casing and havingfingers projecting beyond the periphery of the disk, a rotatable sleevein said casing carrying the disk, a bolt for supporting the guard plateand passing through said sleeve, and bevel gearing inclosed in saidcasing for rotating the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SETH LOUIS JOHNSON.

- 'Witnesses:

FRED HAMMOND, W. E. CALVERT.

